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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the following is in Carl's pocket when John interrogates him in Chapter 8?

2. What does John assure Ruth of regarding Marion in the beginning of Chapter 9?

3. What does John teach Carl in Chapter 7?

4. What does Carl thank John for at the beginning of Chapter 8?

5. Where do John, Marion and Franklin meet for breakfast in Chapter 8?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Taft's interaction with Tommy Lawson's son in Chapter 10?

2. Why does Taft ask his children to stay home Friday night?

3. Why is John deeply gladdened by his morning with Marion and Franklin in Chapter 11?

4. How does Taft die in Chapter 12?

5. What happens at dinner in Chapter 7.

6. What difficulty do John and Fay face in bailing Carl out in Chapter?

7. What is John's catharsis at the end of Taft?

8. How does Marion's friend, the doctor, help John in Chapter 11?

9. How do Carl and John bond in Chapter 7?

10. Where does John go to recuperate in Chapter 12?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The novel of "Taft" has a major character's death at the center of its narrative, and the ramifications of this death serve as a dire warning to the other characters. Write an essay about death and the fear of death in "Taft". How does Taft's death ripple through the narrative of the novel? How does its effect confirm John's fears about Franklin? What does he worry will happen if he disappears from his son's life?

Essay Topic 2

Over the course of the novel, Carl Taft appears to be a dangerous and dynamic character. The reader experiences him at many points in his life. Write a three-part essay about the trajectory Carl Taft takes over the course of the novel:

Part 1) What is Carl's life like before his father dies? Discuss what he values in life and what challenges he faces. What does his father do to keep him in line? What mistakes does he make in his adolescent years?

Part 2) Discuss the significance of Taft's death in Carl's life. How is his experience of this tragedy different from his sister's and mother's? What makes it more painful for him, and what significant collapse occurs in his character before he leaves Coalfield?

Part 3) How does the world of Memphis prove horribly detrimental to Carl's life? Discuss how bad habits and addiction become near-suicidal in the larger city? What is Carl's low point and how is he partially redeemed by the end of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

The narratives of "Taft" take place in two towns: Memphis and Coalfield. In an essay, compare the way that these two towns are portrayed in the novel. What abstract ideas and movements are represented by the towns? How does Patchett forge a tone in the novel for each of these settings? Discuss the characters that come from each town. How are their objectives and values similar and different? Do they come into conflict?

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